Lowborn

The Lowborn are the subservient class of beings from The Lightless, and most directly serve one of the Highborn with near slavish devotion. Their speech is somewhat halted and primitive, though they are capable of using such language to convey quite intricate sentiments.

As a group, they are extremely resourceful. Capable and skilled in improvising various tools from founds bits and pieces of debris. They often play about somewhat like children, and have a similar sense of control and discipline overall.

The notable individuals met so far are Idjut, Merp, Jerm, Olga, and Ajun. I'll give a basic run down on what is known of them below with the faction rundowns. It is widely believed by Underlight Residents, that the Lowborn are essentially enslaved (via manipulation and deceit rather than force, what amounts to a functional Stockholm Syndrome situation).

Lowborn Reborn:

A common question that has arisen lately, is "Who are these "Lowborn" I keep hearing about?". While the people to definitively speak with on the topic are Coraal; Elmer; Mengyao; and Tamarisk, here is a brief primer on the basics of the Lowborn.

Several years ago, a small city rested in the exact location that ours does now. One dream, something (event specifics are still unknown to this writer) happened, and several fragments of two other cities crashed into the smaller one, bonding to it and drawing an immediate surge of power from it to sustain themselves. What triggered this Clash is currently unknown, but what is known.. is that the initial draw of energy didn't just affect gens, sanctuaries, portals, and the like... but the actual dreamers of the city themselves. Leeching the vital essence of their minds, presumably restoring the connections to those cities, to the dreamers who once dwelt in them.

This caused nearly the entire population to essentially be dreamstruck on the spot. Those few that survived, were headed by a group of 4 powerful dreamers of the city that came to be known as the "Highborn". Ascheron, Athenodora, Lilith Morvant, Rubedo Morvant. Each of those 4 bonded certain weaker citizens of the city... essentially pulling them back from the edge of Oblivion. These weaker dreamers subsist largely on vital energy granted to them by the Highborn... those who served more generous Highborn patrons, were generally clearer of thought and speech... which those that served more restrictive Highborn, often (like Merp) displayed a great deal of difficulty comprehending advanced or complicated topics, and expressing themselves in more than the most fundamental ways.

The entire remnant of their city, was sealed beneath layers of the merging, Larger cities. Trapping those of The Lightless (What they came to call the remains of the Highborn/Lowborn city) within the dead realm until they were able to finally dig their way out and discover what it was that had trapped them.

The Highborn, in particular, Lilith and Rubedo Morvant, blamed the Clash that destroyed their city, on the dreamers that they found populating the world above their own. Viewing it as a deliberate act on the part of those dreamers, destroying the Highborn's city and population in order to save their own. And so, were immediately hostile towards the dreamers of the city. Taking energy from weakened strongholds, etc. Ascheron, took a more mercenary and mannered approach. Seeming to reason that, since these new dreamers were here... they might as well work with them to try and get what The Lightless needed. While Athenodora took a cautiously hopeful approach. Openly speaking with various dreamers and sharing their story, trying to move past the grief and loss to build a better future for what remained of their people.

In response to various Highborn (Mostly Rubedo and Lilith Morvant's) actions, the assassin known as Zar'tenya took it upon herself to remove this threat to the city of Underlight, and assassinated the Highborn. Without the Highborn to sustain those bonded to them... most of the Lowborn too, vanished as they exhausted their energies and were claimed by oblivion.

With the rebirth of Rubedo Morvant, some of those lowborn at least that were once bonded to him, have been revived. Most notably: Merp and NoBuhdee (though Nobuhdee seems to have managed to survive the loss of her bonded Highborn patron, theories as to how she was able to accomplish this are still forthcoming). Rubedo Morvant at least, still remains convinced that the Clash of cities was deliberate act by the dreamers of the city above. Though the circumstances and precise outcomes do point to the possibility of a deliberate guiding hand, who's hand exactly and for what reasons... remain unknown to anyone I have spoke to about this topic.

What new information will come out about The Lightless and its residents? And perhaps more importantly... how will the dynamics of their interaction with the city change without the moderating influences of Athenodora and Ascheron?

~ Arnaya, Soulmistress

References

https://forums.underlight.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=3324&p=20718&hilit=history#p20718